Identifying Textile Types and Weaves 1750-1950 - Dress and Textile ...

Identifying weaves
Basic Weaves
Twill Weave
Twill weaves can be identified by the marked diagonal
movement across the cloth created by the sequencing of
the weft threads which cross the warps at evenly off-set,
vertical intervals (from left to right or from right to left).
The sequencing of interlacing can vary - this diagram
Plain Weave (a.k.a Tabby Weave)
The simplest and most universal weave. Produced by
passing the weft across the warp twice. On the outward
journey it passes over all the odd warps and under the
evens: on its return it passes over the evens and under the
odds. Texture can be added by way of textured yarn or
using different colour threads (warp or weft) to produce
checks or stripes. [Source: JH]
shows a 3/1 twill which has three wefts passing behind one
warp before it is bound in place by the fourth front cross of
the weft. Denim is the most well-known example of a
twill weave.
Satin Weave
The smooth shiny surface of a satin weave is created by the large
surface area of exposed warp threads which are intermittently
bound on only every fourth cross of the weft (four under, one
over). This sequence can be reversed so that the weft threads
form the dominant surface area of the fabric (four over, one
under) though this type of weave is called „sateen‟. Satin weaves
are frequently used in combination with other weaves to form
„figured‟ cloths. Figured cloths are woven in one colour with
pattern created solely by the use of different textured weaves,
for example damask.
All diagrams, courtesy of Caroline Rendell, from, The National Trust Manual of Housekeeping, Butterworth Heinemann, 2006, p.405
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